Burnt Knob, 3-22-07

[Jay H]

Decided to go tag this nice little peak by Windham HP sunday after Jim decided to go elsewhere. I got to the trailhead to find 2 other Subaru Outbacks there so I thought I'd add mine to the Subaru party. Yeah... notice the 2nd gen had Mass plates and the LL Bean there was from Tinton Falls, NJ, down by the shore...

Anyway, it looks like there were some tracks down towards the summer lot and no sign of Lowlander's Jeep (Happy birthday!) so I got into my hiking boots, put the tow straps away and left for the red trail.. I cross the bridge over the BK and sign in the register and notice tracks heading into the woods... Turns out that crossing the feeder stream there by the register was nigh impossible so I start to bushwack up the west side of the stream, figuring I'll just make a bee line to Burnt Knob and the escarpment trail. After about 200ft, I run into a really nice campsite with cut firewood and all... After continuing, the snow below 2900feet was fairly spotty and the blowdown wasn't half as bad as the LP was up by Richmond from saturday so I made good time. In fact, I was getting quite hot with the southern exposure and the hot sun above Blackhead shining down. I got to the base of the final knob and rest a bit, down some water and delayer down to my base layer and prepare for the steep scramble up.

After summiting the ridge, I pass tracks on the escarpment trail and head up the east side of the knob, hitting the summit and seeing this little lair
After looking around, I traverse the knob out west looking for the nice northern viewpoint that I know of and after getting there, take a rest on a log to eat lunch.

I sit and watch the birds fly by, a small cessna does a lazy circle above me and starts flying north. A helicopter flies out of Maplecrest going towards Albany and I enjoy my apple I brought to eat. All of a sudden, this crazy bird comes flying through the trees flys by my head and scares me to death. Thinking it might be the cessna or something sinister... It zooms down towards the col between BK and Acra Point... Barred Owl?? It was somewhat small and limber and obviously not scared of going 100mph into a tree.

After a real lazy lunch, I debate on going to Acra or follow the Escarpment trail back or just bushwack back down, I just go back down pretty much the same way up, although I kind of whacked back to the parking area instead of the bridge so I whacked up the stream til I got to the bridge. Then I ran into the ranger there who I've seen there before... And out by about 12:30 and then off to the Stewarts in Haines Falls for a vanilla milk shake (on sale for $1.75!)

http://picasaweb.google.com/cycleslug/BurntKnob42207
Jay

[daxs]

Gee, Jay , an ice cream deal so early in the season....

[Jay H]

A few weeks ago they had sundaes for $1.25!!!

Jay

[Mark Schaefer]

Originally Posted by Jay H

All of a sudden, this crazy bird comes flying through the trees flys by my head and scares me to death. Thinking it might be the cessna or something sinister... It zooms down towards the col between BK and Acra Point... Barred Owl?? It was somewhat small and limber and obviously not scared of going 100mph into a tree.

At one of the west facing viewpoints along the Escapement Trail on Burnt Knob in October 2004 a female American Kestrel landed 10 feet from me. She wasn't at all aggressive, but it wasn't nesting season either. I have often seen Kestrels at raptor centers and at raptor shows, so I was fairly certain of the identification. I thought it was strange she was up so high as they tend to prefer edges of fields. However, a year later I saw another fly by at Milt's Lookout at 3100' elevation (north of Stoppel Point on the Escarpment Trail). They are known as sparrow hawks and are about the size of a jay bird, but smaller than human Jays.

According to this Wiki article the male puts on a diving show while courting. But they should be past that by now. Many birds can be aggressive during nesting season. Owls are also common in the area.

Burnt Knob is a nice summit. Good TR.

[mudhook]

Originally Posted by daxs

Gee, Jay , an ice cream deal so early in the season....

A missing ice cream episode has already occured.
RockyS and I had a small, falcon like bird fly out of the ledges next to us on Wittenberg last fall/early winter. Bigger than a Kestrel.

[Snickers]

Hey Jay and Jim, sorry for stealing the thread Jay.

I will be looking to hike up the Cats on May 6th if you guys want to hike something.

Jay did you finish the HH?

Cindy

[Jay H]

Cindy, not yet, in fact, I am, weather dependent may finish on May 6th. Huntersfield is the plan and it is contingent on a few things occuring of course, but right now, I'm looking at May 6th... I'll post something soon I guess.

Jay